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Dec. 7 1926. R 16,500

M. R. HULL CONNECTER FOR TWO-PART AUTOMOBILE DOORS Original iled Dec 30, 192] MatthewRHu Reissued Dec. 7, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATT HEW B; HULL, OICOHNERSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB TO REX MANUFACTUR- 1N0 comm, OI COmBSVILLE INDIANQ, A CORI'QRATION OF INDIANA.

comma iron TWO-PART AUTOMOBILE noons.

Original Io. 1,403,809, dated February is, 1924, Serial in. 525,927, m Ilceember 30,1921. Application l for reissue filed July 28, 1925. Serial No. 45,696.

This invention relates to an automobile body door, articularly that type of door which inclu es the lower door section of a permanent automobile body and an upper complementary section, the latter section forming a part of an independently fabricated enclosed top which is superimposed upon the rim of an open type of automobile body, In this type of door construction it has been found diflicult to keep the edge of the upper complementary section of thedoor in contact wit the external wall of the top, when the door is closed, byrewon of .the open 'oint remaining between the two connect door sections which ma impair the desired rigidity, as obtains in so 'dtype of door-construction, thereby'permitting the upper section of the door to stand away from the adjacent external wall of the top. to induce noise and rattle, besides impairing the desired symmetrical appearance of the top structure, so characteristic in the rigid types of limousine and sedan .bodyconstructions. v

One of the objects of the present invention consists in the provision of certain means whereby a stress is constantly 1msection to hold t clatter at all timesinto contact with the adjacent external. wall of the top, when the door is closed :and thus prevent vibration and rattle of the partss T I accomplish the above objectof the invvention, and such others asmay appear from a perusal of the following description and claims, by means of the construction forming-a part hereof, in who illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the forward portionv of .an open type automobile body, avinga detachable top superimposed thereon, and showing my improved tension-connector attached to the two sections of the door,

' Fi re 2, a view partly in section and ar y' in elevation, on the plane 2-2 in i re 1 igure 3, a horizontal sectional view, on

the plane 33 in Figure 1,

4, a perspective view of the-tension-connecter shown independently of the other parts.-

Figure 5 an end view of the construction shown in Figure 4,

sion-connecter to the'lower and permanent section of the door, and d Figure 7, a cross sectional view, on the plane 7-7 in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents a conventional type of automobile body con- 1 struction; 11 apermanent door section' 12 a separately fabricated top having adeck 13 which is superim osed upon the rim of the open body 10, an 14 the upper door section which constitutes a complementary part ofthe removable top 12. To

videdyalong its inner-side wall and immediately-below deck13 with certain reinforcing rails 15 which, in additionto adding strength and rigidity to the top, provide the 12 is promeans for attaching the side panels 16 of the top and also stops against which the upper edges of the door sections 11 abut when the doors are in closed position.

As heretofore stated, considerable difliculty has been experienced in keeping the edges of the upper door section 14 in contactwith the adjacent external surface of ivided door construction the vibration of the vehicle may develop suflicient looseness between the two sections of a-door and thus permit the upper door section 14 tospring away from the vehicle body and createrattle of" the parts, besides impairing the symmetrical external appearance desired in a composite structure, which is so characteristic of the solid built types of limousine and sedan constructions.

These above mentioned beneficial advantages and results I attain by means of a connecter which comprises, preferably, a resilient rod 20', havin its ends flattened and bent at right angles iii: in opposite directionsto its body portion to form, the attachment feet 21, and 22. In operative position the the upper door section 14, together with a" gide-post which is provided with aank 26 adapted to be inserted into a socket 27 in the upper edge or rim of body 10, so -that while rod 20 is thus securely anchored to both sections of the door it may easily be tgp 12, for'the .reason that in this type posed on the u per complementary door 0 d disengaged from the lower door section .11

when it is desired to-remove the up er .door

section 14, for summer driving. T e verti-.

cal foot 21, of rod 20, normally rests against the inner surface of the frame of upper door section 14 by passing foot 21 through suitable loops 28 carried by the upper door section 14 and then permanently securing the foot -to the door section by means of a screw and down, along the inner si e wall of said lower door section 11. Foot 22 is detachably secured to the lower door section 11 by means of a bolt 30, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawin To steady rod 20 and still enable it to easily disconnected from the lower door section 11, when it is desired to remove the upper door section 14, I insert foot 22 into a snugly fitting channel 31 formed in 'a base plate 32 which is securely bolted to the inner face of the lower door section. 11, and the foot 22' is held within the channel of said base plate by. a bolt 30. By means of this construction foot 22 is securely held in operative position between ribs 33, forming channel 31,'and may readily be detached by the loosening of bolt 30. As

will be observed in the ed e view, Fig. 5, the face of foot 21 is initial y formed to coincide with the perpendicular, whereas the face of foot 22 is inclined towards the sar face plane of the face of foot 21." When it is desired to attach the foot 22 to door section 11 said foot is sprun inwardl its face rests against the iottom o nel 31 in base plate 32. This enforced movement of foot 22 develops a twist or torque.

in the resilient body portion of rod 20,'and the reactive forces thus set u in rod 20 are exerted against the upper oor section 14 and hold it tightlyagainst the adjacent external wall 0 top 12 to prevent noise and rattle. Hence, in the act of closing the door, the edge of the upper door section 14 will be the first to come into contact with reinforcing rail 15 and this edge will be more tightly pressed against said rail and thereby increase the torque in rod 20 as the closing movement of the door continues.

By means of the herein described con- I struction it will be readily comprehended that the stressed rod 20 is constantly exerting sulficient pressure a the upper door section 14 to constant y hold the latter tight- 'movement, of the until chan-' ly into contact with adjacent side wall of top. 12 and prevent individual vibration and rattle of the parts.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In adoor for automobiles, a permanent lower door-section, a removable upper door section, a vconnector carried by the upper section havingla resilient body approximately parallel tot emeetingedges oft esections and having its ends bent oppositely, means securing one end and the body of the connecter permanently to the upper door section, a pivoted post de ending from the body near said end adapts to enter a socket in the lower door section, a 'de plate on the lower door section, an means detachably securing theother end of the connecter thereto so as to tilt the upper door section toward the body whereby a progressively increasing torque is induced in .the body of the connector when the edge of the door section engages the top of the auto body during the closing movement of the door, substantially asset forth.

.2. In a door for automobiles, a permanent lpwer door section, a removable upper door section, a connector carried by the upper door section having a resilient body approximately parallel to the meeting edges of the sections and having its ends bent 0ppositely, and means securing-one end to the upper door section and'theother end to the lower door section near opposite vertical edges of the respective sections so as to tilt the upper door 'fsectionfltowardthe body whereby a progressively increasing torque is induced in the body 0 the connecter when the edge of the upper door section engages the top of the auto body during the closing door, substantially as set forth. o

3. In a door for automobiles, a permanent lower door section, a removableupper door section,'a connecte'r carried by'the upper section having a body'approximately equal in length to the width of t e doorand approximately parallel tothe meeting edges of the .door sections the ends of the connector being bent in opposite directions, and means securing the connector permanently to the upper section" and detachably to the lower section, substantiall as set' forth.

4. In anautomo ile door, a permanent lower door section, a removable upper door section, and a resilient rod connecting said sections with a midg ortion having angu- 'larly related parts sposedin the same plane and havingits ends extending respectively upwardly and downwardly, one of said ends being inclined relative to the other end transversely of said-door, substantially as set forth.

5. In an automobile door havinga permanent lower section and a removable rigid upper section, a connecter having a resilient b0 y extending adjacent to the dividin line between said sections, an arm connecte to the upper section at its rear end, an arm connected to the lower section at its front end said arms being inclined laterally out of parallel relation whereb the upper door section is normally tilte inwardly, and brackets journaling the body near its ends extendin oppositely from the respective arms ad acent thereto and secured to the other door section from such adjacent arms, substantially as set forth. V

6. The combination with a door having a pivotally mounted section and another section supported by said pivotally mounted section, of a connecter for said sections comsilient rising a resilient body extending along the oint between the sections, means at one end of said body. connecting the same to the deinountable section, means at the opposite end of said body connecting the same to the permanent section said second mentioned means being disposed at an angle to said first mentioned means and holding one ed e ortion of the demountable section inwardly eyond the plane of the permanent section of the door whereb when said edge portion is enga ed when t e door is closed the res odv will be twisted, substantially as set forth.

7.A connecter for a. pivotally mounted door having a permanent and a demountable section, comprising a resilient body disposed along the joint between the sections of the door said resilient body being provided with means adjacent each of its ends for connecmeans at the opposlte end and holding thev free edge of the demountable sectionout of the plane of thepermanent section whereby when such free edge is moved to position in the plane of the major portion of the door the resilient bod will be twisted, substantially'as set f0 8. A door for automobiles comprising a permanent lower door section, a demountable upper door section, a connecter carried b the upper section having a body approximately' equal in'length to the width of the door and approximately parallel to the meeting'edges of the door sections, said con- .necter having connections respectively with said permanent and demountable sections andholding the free edge of the demountable section in a biased position whereby the connecter will be twisted when the door is closed, substantially as set'forth.

9. A connecter for a pivotally mounted two-part door having upper and lower sections, said connecter comprising a rod having a resilient part extending along the joint between said sections, said art having connections with the said sections and holding the free edge of one of the sections in ,a biased position whereby the connecter will be twisted when the door is closed, substan-' tially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Connersville, Indiana, this 17 day of July, A. DJ, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-five.

MATTHEW R. HULL. 

